1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for transporting electric light sources containing glass envelopes (e.g. lamp bulbs) and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for transporting fluorescent tubes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric light sources often contain a source of illumination contained within a glass envelope. Conventionally, to protect the glass envelope from breaking during transport, the electric light sources is packaged in a soft, paper container. The soft, paper container serves to provide some cushioning against mild shock. However, the soft, paper container does not have sufficient strength to withstand even a mild blow without buckling and permitting the glass envelope to break. In this respect, it would be desirable for a container for an electric light source which contains a glass envelope to be able to withstand mild blows without buckling and permitting the glass envelope to break.
Of special interest are fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps because they contain mercury, lead and sometimes cadmium. Not only should such lamps be protected from damage before they are placed in use, but they should also be protected from damage after they have burned out (hereinafter such lamps are referred to as "fluorescent tubes"). More specifically, when fluorescent tubes are burned out, they must be disposed of. Yet, their disposal provides a number of problems. First, when a fluorescent tube breaks, there is the danger of a large number of glass fragments spreading over a considerable area. Personnel can be injured, and areas around a broken fluorescent tube can be made hazardous from broken glass. In this respect, it would be desirable for a container to be provided to prevent a burned out fluorescent tube from breaking and spreading a large number of glass fragments over a considerable area.
Aside from the concerns of broken glass fragments, the disposal and breaking of burned out fluorescent tubes involves the potential release of mercury (or other toxic metals) to the environment. A quantity of mercury is confined to the interior of the glass envelope of a fluorescent tube. Once the glass envelope is broken, the mercury can escape into the environment. However, the environment must be protected from mercury pollution. Some laws are presently in force which prohibit or severely restrict the release of mercury and toxic metals into the environment. In this respect, it would be desirable for a container for a fluorescent tube to prevent a release of mercury into the environment in the event that the fluorescent tube breaks while in the container.
By adequately protecting the environment from pieces or particles resulting from breakage of fluorescent tubes, both the transporter of the fluorescent tubes and third parties are protected. In this way, the transporter of the fluorescent tubes is protected in a legal sense from liability claims of third parties.
Fluorescent tubes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. In this respect, it would be desirable if a fluorescent tube carrier could accommodate fluorescent tubes having a variety of sizes and shapes.
When a fluorescent tube is carried within a container, it is desirable for the fluorescent tube to be cushioned within the container. The cushioning helps prevent internal movement and breakage of the fluorescent tubes inside the container when the container is subjected to jostling and impact.
Generally speaking, when it is time to remove an object from a container, sometimes the object tends to stick inside the container. Sometimes, the container must be inverted and shaken in order that the object contained inside will fail out of the container. Such a procedure may be extremely difficult to carry out for relatively elongated fluorescent tubes contained in even elongated tubular containers. In this respect, it would be desirable for a container for fluorescent tubes to be provided with a way to readily urge a fluorescent tube out of the container without needing to invert and shake the container.
Another way to solve the problem of an object tending to stick inside a container is to grasp the object in one hand, to grasp the container in the other hand, and to pull the two apart. Often however, the object fits snugly in the container, and it is difficult to maneuver one's fingers or hand around the object. Initially, the hope is to pull an end portion of the object out of the container with one's fingers so that enough of the object will be exposed to enable a person's hand to firmly grasp the object to pull the remainder of the object out the container. More specifically with respect to fluorescent tubes, for a fluorescent tube that fits so snugly inside a container that it is difficult to insert one's fingers into the container around the fluorescent tube in order to pull an end portion of the fluorescent tube out of the container, it would be desirable if the container were provided with a way to move an end portion of the fluorescent tube out of the container without requiring a person's fingers to grasp and pull the end portion of the fluorescent tube out of the container.
In the event that a fluorescent tube breaks while inside a container, the normal vacuum of the tube creates a momentary pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the container. In this respect, it would be desirable for a container for a fluorescent tube to be provided with a way to equalize the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the container when the fluorescent tube accidentally breaks inside the container.
Containers that are to be used for transporting burned out fluorescent tubes to recycling centers are going to be used over and over again. In this respect, it would be desirable for such a container to have features that enable the container to be readily loaded and unloaded over and over again.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to storage and disposal of cylindrical objects such as fluorescent tubes, and the following U.S. and foreign patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,638,022, 3,623,672, 4,579,287, 4,662,535, 4,714,162, 4,953,701, and 5,351,896; and French Patent 1,098,693. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,022 relates to a device for breaking ampoules. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,623,672, 4,579,287, 4,662,535, 4,953,701, and 5,351,896 disclose devices designed for breaking fluorescent tubes prior to disposal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,162 discloses a carrier for fluorescent tubes, and French Patent 1,098,693 also appears to disclose a carrier for fluorescent tubes. None of the prior art provide the desirable features discussed above.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use containers to store and dispose of fluorescent tubes, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a fluorescent tube transport apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a container for an electric light source which contains a glass envelope wherein the container is able to withstand mild blows without buckling and without permitting the glass envelope to break; (2) prevents a broken fluorescent tube from spreading a large number of glass fragments over a considerable area; (3) prevents a release of mercury into the environment in the event that a fluorescent tube breaks while in the container; (4) can accommodate fluorescent tubes having a variety of cylindrical radii; (5) provides retention means inside the container to prevent the fluorescent tube from moving around while retained inside the central housing assembly, and accidentally falling out of the central housing assembly in an uncontrolled manner; (6) provides a container having a way for readily urging a fluorescent tube out of the container without needing to invert and shake the container; (7) provides a container having a way for readily urging an end portion of a fluorescent tube out of the container without requiring a person's fingers to grasp and pull the end portion of the fluorescent tube out of the container; (8) has means for equalizing any pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the container; and (9) has features that enable the container to be readily loaded and unloaded over and over again. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique fluorescent tube transport apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.